Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Don't forget to enter to win our Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway! And you can now pre-order your spring YBC Mantra Box! And, exciting news - we just launched our YBC Video Bundle packages over the weekend! In case you missed last week, Carley is sharing a 3-part series to better health and this week we are are discussing hydration. xo Candace
Hydration
Hydration is commonly overlooked and is such a critical component in maintaining optimum health. Many people seek medical attention for illnesses like migraines, muscle pains, fatigue, and constipation, yet so many of these issues are directly related to something as simple as dehydration.
There are two main parts of hydration: water and minerals which means hydrating and your body’s ability to maintain hydration. You can drink water all day long, but if you’re not absorbing properly, then just drinking water is not as effective. So let’s discuss the two ways to properly hydrate:
1. Water is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle yet it is one of the biggest nutritional deficiencies. So how much water should we drink? And what is the best kind of water to drink? A good rule of thumb for daily water consumption is: Your body weight divided by two equals the number of ounces of water per day. Most of us are not getting anywhere near this amount!
So what kind of water is the best water? One of the best kinds of water to drink is a good, filtered water. Be mindful of the tap water in your area. A helpful resource for checking the water quality is National Drinking Water Database. There are some really wonderful water filters on the market; a pricier but fantastic filter is the Berkey filter. Brita water filters are another great filter and a little more cost effective. If you drink distilled water, make sure to replenish your minerals! Distillation is a process that removes minerals so it is important to make sure you’re replenishing them by simply adding a good quality sea salt to your water. I also like electrolyte waters or a good quality mineral water; which leads me into my next topic of minerals!
2. Minerals are essential in maintaining hydration. Electrolytes are actually minerals that water depends on for proper absorption; so basically if you are drinking ample amounts of water but not consuming any electrolytes, you’re really not hydrating since there is nothing to help absorb the water into the body. Adding a pinch of sea salt to your water is a great way to help maintain hydration. Drinking bone broth is another great way to stay hydrated; it is full of minerals and amino acids essential for proper hydration. Plus, bone broth contains calcium and magnesium which helps in muscle contraction and relaxation, so think of this for your next post-workout beverage! Most coconut waters are another great source for electrolyte replenishment, make sure the water is not from concentrate and it has not been heated or chemically altered. Although it may seem strange, drinking sauerkraut juice can improve hydration while at the same time improving gut health due to probiotic content. You can also make your own sports drink, a quick, easy and delicious recipe for a Coconut Kefir Electrolyte Water can be found on my website.
Water and minerals are the perfect marriage essential for proper hydration. Water deficiency is commonly overlooked as a main cause of countless health issues. Your Body’s Many Cries For Water is an excellent book for reference citing the importance of hydration and gives a number of clinical references regarding health concerns solved by proper hydration.
So...how do you hydrate? Share your hydration secrets below and let us know the results!!
About Fairy Gutmother: Hi! I am Carley, a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and Certified GAPS Practitioner (CGP). I became interested in health and nutrition after battling Lyme disease and using food as thy medicine to help heal my body. You can read more about my experience with Lyme on my website. I truly believe the words of Hippocrates that “All disease begins in the gut” and once you begin to heal the gut, you can start to heal the body. Feel free to contact me here if you’re interested in learning more about healing. I look forward to hearing from you and working together to restore your health!